Weekly Trailers

Ai to Makoto - Takashi Miike (2012)

Fans of "The Happiness of the Katakuris" rejoice! Takashi Miike has returned to the most unlikely genre of his wildly diverse cinematic career... the musical! Miike adapts Ikki Kajiwara's action/ romance manga "Ai to Makoto" to the screen with Satoshi Tsumabuki and Emi Takei as its all singing, all dancing pair of young lovers.




Nippon Era Irresponsibility - Kengo Furusawa (1962)

Legendary Japanese comedian Hitoshi Ueki stars as one of his most beloved characters, an irresponsible, devil-may-care salaryman, in Kengo Furusawa's comedy musical.

Weekly Trailers

Empty - Shugo Kusano (2012)

What happens if you're a young man with no friends and no social life... and you can teleport yourself. Odd concept, right? But that's the main plot of Shugo Kusano's very quirky coming of age film "Empty" due out in Japanese theatres this June.




Jigoku - Teruo Ishii (1999)

Cult director Teruo Ishii takes us on a trip to hell with his 1999 film "Jigoku". Ishii's hell is peopled by the worst of the worst: child killers, cult leaders and gas attackers -- all who were based on actual criminal cases.

Weekly Trailers

Kotoko - Shinya Tsukamoto (2011)

Shinya Tsukamoto collaborates with singer/ songwriter Cocco to bring a nightmarish vision of one woman's struggle with mental illness to the screen. Cocco plays Kotoko, a woman who sees double. This gift/ curse slowly unravels her life, and her connection to her young son.




The Hidden Fortress - Akira Kurosawa (1958)

Two peasants accompany a hard-bitten general and a princess on their mission to take a secret cache of gold to her home town. The film that helped inspire the plot of George Lucas' mega-hit "Star Wars".

Weekly Trailers

Zombie Ass - Noboru Iguchi (2011)

Danger! Noboru Iguchi, the man who brought us "The Machine Girl" and "RoboGeisha" returns with the tale of a battle between high school girls and zombies... and there's a lot of ass involved. Okay, there's more than just ass going on in the trailer for "Zombie Ass". There's exploding heads too! "Zombie Ass" is due for a Japanese theatrical release next month.




Tarao Bannai - Norifumi Suzuki (1978)

Famed early 70's exploitation director Norifumi Suzuki shifted gears in '78 to bring to screen the adventures of fictional detective Tarao Bannai. Lead actor Akira Kobayashi, famous for portraying tough guy gangsters is nearly unrecognizable as the titular sleuth.

Weekly Trailers

8000 Miles 3 - Yu Irie (2012)

Indie director Yu Irie returns to the series that has made him famous with his third "Saitama Rapper (8000 Miles" film. Things get serious for the hip hop crew as they must take the mic and do battle once again. Expect "8000 Miles 3" to hit Japanese theatres this spring.




Afraid to Die - Yasuzo Masumura (1960)

Famed Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima makes his acting debut as a leather clad street thug who takes on the yakuza and has to deal with a troubled relationship with his girlfriend in Yasuzo Masumura's "Afraid to Die".

Weekly Trailers

Rurouni Kenshin - Keishi Ohtomo (2012)

Based on the jidai-geki manga by Nobuhiro Watsuki, "Rurouni Kenshin" plunges us 150-years in the past, into a world where samurai still wield power. Starring Takeru Sato as Kenshin Himura, diretor Keishi Ohtomo's "Rurouni Kenshin" is set to open in Japan on August 25th.




Chi-n-pi-ra - Toru Kawashima (1984)

Veteran actor Kyohei Shibata stars in this tale of young punks entering the dangerous world of Japanese organized crime. Directed by Toru Kawashima, the man who brought us the 1983 yakuza classic "Ryuji".

Weekly Trailers

Between Today and Tomorrow - Junko Kobayashi (2011)

A documentary portrait of one of Japan's most respected modern dancers, Yasuyuki Shuto. "Between Today and Tomorrow" premiered this past fall at the 24th Tokyo International Film Festival.




The Last Samurai - Kenji Misumi (1977)

No, this is not the trailer for the Tom Cruise star vehicle from . This is a trailer for acclaimed jidaigeki and chanbara director Kenji Misumi's last film, 1977's "The Last Samurai" starring Ken Ogata, Hideki Takahashi, Masaomi Kondo and Keiko Matsuzaka.

Shinobu Yaguchi's "Robo-G" Gets a Trailer

by Marc Saint-Cyr

This past summer, we first reported on the latest comedy in the works from Shinobu Yaguchi, the director known for such comedies as "Waterboys" (2001), "Swing Girls" (2004) and "Happy Flight" (2008). The new film, entitled "Robo-G," stars Gaku Hamada, Shogo Kawai and Junya Kawashima as a trio of bumbling cyberneticists whose new robot is destroyed before its presentation at a robotics convention, forcing them to try to pass off an old man in a robot costume (Mickey Curtis, AKA Shinjiro Igarashi) as their latest invention. Thanks to Twitch, we now have a trailer for this latest effort from Yaguchi which, to the familiar notes of Styx' "Mr. Roboto," presents a taste of what looks like will be a very wacky and entertaining work.

Check out the trailer to see for yourself:

Weekly Trailers

Phoenix Wright - Takashi Miike (2012)

Takashi Miike continues his run of remakes and screen adaptations with his take on popular video game "Phoenix Wright". In the near future it's the job of defense attorney Phoenix Wright to prove the innocence of his clients during whirlwind 3-day trials. "Phoenix Wright" is scheduled for release in the spring of 2012.




Take Aim at the Police Van - Seijun Suzuki (1960)

One of Seijun Suzuki's many program pictures for Nikkatsu, "Take Aim at the Police Van" tells the story of a prison guard who begins his own investigation into the identity of a sniper who shot two of his cons on route to prison.

Weekly Trailers

Tokyo Playboy Club - Yosuke Okuda (2011)

Nao Omori stars as a man whose life gets very complicated very quickly after he wanders into a suburban Tokyo bar. "Tokyo Playboy Club" marks the feature film directorial debut of Yosuke Okuda, the award-winning director of the "Hot as Hell" films. "Tokyo Playboy Club" will debut at Tokyo Filmex this month.




Blind Beast - Yasuzo Masumura (1969)

Japanese New Wave director Yasuzo Masumura adapts Edogawa Rampo's classic story of a blind sculptor who kidnaps a young woman in order to make her his muse. Psychedelic sets, sadomasochism and a nasty case of Stockholm Syndrome ensues.

Weekly Trailers

Moteki (Love Strikes!) - Hitoshi Ohne (2011)

Mirai Moriyama plays a salaryman who one day goes from being a flop with women to being sought after by not one, or two or even three but four women at the same time! It must be "moteki", an unexplained period of popularity, but how will he cope?




Electric Dragon 80,000V - Sogo Ishii (2001)

Sogo Ishii, the man who brought Japanese punk to the screen in "Crazy Thunder Road" and "Burst City" pits Tadanobu Asano against Masatoshi Nagase in this ultimate battle between the primitive reptilian brain and super-charged technology.

Weekly Trailers

Monsters Club - Toshiaki Toyoda (2011)

Originally intended as a short film, director Toshiaki Toyoda extended his collaboration with actor Eita and performance artist Pyuupiru into a full length feature about a Unabomber type character waging war on modern society. "Monsters Club" has already premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival and will next screen at this year's Tokyo Filmex.




Returner - Takeshi Yamazaki (2003)

A young woman named Milly (Anne Suzuki) travels back in time from the year 2084 to stop an alien invasion of Earth. Her only ally is a an arms dealer and criminal (Takeshi Kaneshiro) who already has his hands full battling an evil gang leader. Takeshi Yamazaki, whi would bring us the popular "Always: Sunset on Third Street" films, takes us on a wild sci-fi adventure.

Weekly Trailers

Sukiyaki (Gokudo meshi) - Tetsu Maeda (2011)

Five inmates find themselves locked up on lunar new year's day. As a special treat they are served a traditional feast of delicacies, but they make a game out of their meal time -- each needs to top the other with a story of the best meal they ever ate in order to win items of each others' plates. "Sukiyaki (Gokudo meshi) " opened in Japanese theatres on September 23rd.




Graveyard of Honor - Takashi Miike (2002)

Takashi Miike re-imagines Kinji Fukasaku's classic nihilistic 1975 yakuza film "Graveyard of Honor". A gangster sinks to the depths of depravity as he takes on not only a rival gang, but eventually his own.

Weekly Trailers

Kimi no Suki Nanda - Kenji Shibayama (2011)

Tomohiro Kaku stars as a cabinetmaker whose marriage suddenly ends. Model-turned-actress Naomi Yamaguchi portrays his female college friend who he reunites with. Soon old feelings come to the surface. Kenji Shibayama 's "Kimi no Suki Nanda" opens this week at Eurospace Shibuya.




Red Beard - Akira Kurosawa (1965)

Akira Kurosawa tells the story of the clash between two physicians, one young and ambitious (Yuzo Koyama), the other strict but compassionate (Toshiro Mifune) in 19th-century Edo. The extended shoot of "Red Beard" famously ended the creative partnership between Kurosawa and Mifune.

Weekly Trailers

Soro Nante Kudaranai - Kota Yoshida (2011)

Koya Yoshida, the director of the erotic comedy "Yuriko's Aroma" returns with his equally provocative new feature "Soro Nante Kudaranai". The film stars Tateto Serizawa as a man who is struggling with premature ejaculation. Warning -- this trailer is NSFW!




Shinsengumi Chronicles - Kenji Misumi (1963)

Legendary actior Raizo Ichikawa stars as an idealistic young samurai who joins the Shinsengumi, the police force loyal to the Shogun in 19th century Kyoto. He soon realizes, though, that his fellow Shinsengumi aren't as noble as he thought.

Weekly Trailers

My Husband has got Depression - Kiyoshi Sasabe (2011)

Aoi Miyazaki and Masato Saki star in the big screen adaptation of Tenten Hosokawa's autobiographical manga "Tsure ga Utsu ni Narimashite". Miyazaki plays the role of Hosokawa who must help her husband battle back from a case of clinical depression. "My Husband has got Depression" is due out in Japanese theatres on October 8th.




Japan's Longest Day - Kihachi Okamoto (1968)

Toshiro Mifune heads an all-star cast in Kihachi Okamoto's 1968 historical drama "Japan's Longest Day". The film's 157-minute running time covers the fateful 24-hours of August 15th, 1945, the day that Emperor Hirohito made the decision to surrender to Allied Forces and end WW2.

Weekly Trailers

Guilty of Romance - Sion Sono (2011)

Bad boy director Sion Sono's latest takes dual plots of wife of an erotic novelist (Megumi Kagurazaka) discovering her inner kink, while a female police detective (Miki Mizuno) investigates the gruesome murder of a young woman. "Guilty of Romance" is set to premiere in Japan in November.




Dark Water - Hideo Nakata (2002)

A contemporary horror classic from "Ring" director Hideo Nakata. Divorced Yoshimi and her daughter Ikuko are faced with more than moving into ma new apartment when they begin to see signs that their new home is haunted by the ghost of a little girl. Once again Nakata adapts a work by "Ring" author Koji Suzuki.

Weekly Trailers

Tormented (a.k.a. Rabbit Horror 3D) - Takashi Shimizu (2011)

Takashi Shimizu, director of "Ju-on", joins forces with cinematographer Christopher Doyle (In the Mood for Love) for a psychological horror film... in 3D! Hikari Mistushima stars in this story of an unhinged boy who develops a friendship with his toy rabbit. The film, under the new title "Unhinged" will premiere in September at the Venice International Film Festival.




Hellish Love - Chusei Sone (1972)

Pink film pioneer Chusei Sone brings us something a little different with his 1972 film "Hellish Love". Based on a traditional Japanese ghost story the film follows a young man during the Edo Period who falls in love with a woman, never knowing that she is in fact a spirit from beyond the grave.

Weekly Trailers

Smuggler - Katsuhito Ishii (2011)

Finally a full trailer for Katsuhito Ishii's adaptation of Shohei Manabe's manga "Smuggler". Satoshi Tsumabuki stars as an actor who takes a job helping the yakuza dispose of the bodies of their enemies. "Smuggler" is set to open in Japanese theatres on October 22nd




Kids Return - Takeshi Kitano (1996)

Ken Kaneko and Masanobu Ando star as two high school punks whose friendship is transformed when one becomes a yakuza gangster and the other a boxer. This was the first film Takeshi Kitano made after his near fatal 1994 motorbike accident.

Weekly Trailers

Postcard - Kaneto Shindo (2011)

At the end of the Second World War Sadazo (Naomasa Musaka) is sent to fight in the Philippines. As he waits to ship out he receives a postcard from his wife Tomoko (Shinobu Otake). He then writes a response and gives it to a fellow soldier with the instruction to deliver it to his wife by hand. 98-year-old Kaneto Shindo (Onibaba, The Naked Island, Kuroneko) directs.




Incident at Blood Pass - Hiroshi Inagaki (1970)

Toshiro Mifune reprises his role as the Yojimbo, "bodyguard", a masterless samurai who is ordered to head to a mountain pass to wait for an unspecified mission to unfold... and one does, involving yakuza, an abused woman on the run from her husband, a stuttering law enforcer and a gold heist.